"A Mystic-tier cauldron really does make all the difference," Su Min thought, her fingers tracing the fine, swirling engravings on the fiery-red vessel hovering before her. The air around the cauldron thrummed with a low, resonant heat that felt solid to the touch. "This time, besides herbs, I need to collect a huge amount of ore to forge my armor. I should prepare a few extra sets of clothes while I'm at it."
She had bought some ordinary fabrics earlier, keeping a small portion as backup and turning the rest into several sets of practical, neutral-style outfits. They were a far cry from the typical flowing, layered dresses most women in the Great Luo Tian State favored.
Though these clothes weren't magical treasures, they could resonate with spiritual energy. No matter how dirty they got from travel or dust, a single thought from Su Min would cleanse them instantly. The material was also durable enough to withstand minor battles and stray sparks, so she wouldn't have to worry about her wardrobe for a good long while.
She turned her attention to the pill recipes Mu Jiansheng had provided, the parchment smelling of aged ink and faint sword-intent. "Vein-Melting Sword Pill, Grade 4 lower-tier, activates sword meridians in the body. Water-Fire Spirit Pill, boosts potential for those cultivating water-fire dual techniques, also Grade 4 lower-tier." She murmured the words to herself, analyzing the complex energy pathways within the formulas. "These have been modified. The effects are a bit vague, but the refining steps seem solid."
After a brief pause, she ignited the Nanming Lihuo in her palm. The white flame danced with a silent, terrifying intensity. Alchemy didn't require extreme, unchecked heat; precision control was far more important for the delicate alchemy she practiced. The Solar True Flame of the Three-Legged Golden Crow, for instance, was far too violent for delicate work like this. It was better suited for forging large weapons or melting mountains.
"Let's begin." Since she had already received her payment, she didn't bother pondering the pills' exact uses or the secrets of the Cloud Sea Sword Sect. She just started tossing the ingredients into the cauldron one by one. The sharp scent of crushed herbs and the metallic tang of spirit ores soon filled the small chamber.
Outside the chamber, Sect Leader Mu Jiansheng was deep in conversation with Yun Kong, their voices hushed beneath the buzzing soundproofing arrays. "Any leads on her background?" he asked, his eyes never leaving the sealed door. "A Golden Core tribulation isn't something that goes unnoticed. That alchemist's foundation is rock-solid. Even compared to our sect's sealed geniuses, she is on another level."
He wasn't a prodigy himself. His vitality had begun declining shortly after he reached the Golden Core stage, leaving no hope for further advancement beyond his current realm. Yet even armed with the sect's top-grade treasures, her unrevealed strength had unnerved him.
"Nothing yet," Yun Kong replied respectfully, her brow furrowed in thought. "She is likely another self-sealed expert emerging now to prepare for the upcoming Golden Core era. Just look at the materials she is demanding. None of them can be found in the current environment. We had to dip into our deepest reserves."
"True. But a Grade 4 alchemist won't appear again for centuries. We must secure enough pills for our disciples. Her prices are steep, but they are acceptable for the quality she produces." He lowered his voice until it was barely a breath. "More importantly, the other sects will have to bleed for her services too."
"Should we try to prevent her from contacting them?"
"Impossible. She is a Golden Core expert and a top-tier alchemist. The best we can do is stay on her good side. Double the guards. No disturbances allowed."
"Understood." Yun Kong bowed and left, her silk robes whispering against the floor. In truth, Mu Jiansheng himself was standing guard to ensure Su Min's seclusion remained completely undisturbed.
"HAHAHA! Lao Jian! Hiding in a ladies' boutique in my Sky Summit City, have you taken a liking to rouge and dresses?" A thunderous laugh suddenly boomed from the street outside, rattling the windows and startling Mu Jiansheng so badly he nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Hmph." A displeased snort echoed in his ears. It was Su Min's voice. Despite the soundproofing arrays, the intruder's Golden Core-level voice had pierced right through the barriers like a needle.
"You damned Shui Freak! One more shout and I will fight you to the death!" Mu Jiansheng exploded in rage. All pretense of dignity vanished as he donned his armor and brandished his sword like a madman, looking ready to brawl on the spot.
"Such intense heat," the intruder, Lao Shui, muttered. He frowned as he sensed the residual energy in Su Min's voice, the air around him shimmering. A Golden Core early-stage cultivator wouldn't have fazed him in the past, but now a warrior with such vigorous vitality could easily overwhelm old-timers like them. "Why is he hiding someone like this in our territory?" His playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a sharp wariness as spiritual light flickered around his fingers.
"She isn't from our sect," Mu Jiansheng snapped, his tone carrying both a sharp explanation and a clear threat. "She is just an unsealed Grade 4 alchemist gathering materials. She is refining pills for us now. Disrupt her, and there will be consequences you won't like."
"I see," Lao Shui said, his voice dropping to a whisper, all earlier boisterousness gone. "Could you introduce us? Our Sky Summit Sect is also seeking alchemists of her caliber. Compensation won't be an issue."
"Here is her price list. Two materials per commission. But she is busy until after the tournament." Mu Jiansheng rolled his eyes, his sword-light fading slightly. He had done his part. What Su Min did next was beyond his control.
After scanning the list, Lao Shui nodded and vanished in a blur of motion, leaving a fuming Mu Jiansheng behind.
Back inside, Su Min examined the two flawless pills in her hand. They glowed with a soft, internal light, their surfaces smooth as polished jade. "Whew. Two pills down. The gap between Grade 3 and Grade 4 is real." She let out a slow, cooling breath. "No wonder they accepted my outrageous fees."
While she could produce multiple Grade 3 pills per batch, Grade 4 allowed only one. It was partly due to her inexperience with these specific formulas, but mostly because of the sheer complexity of the energy condensation. The Golden Core stage was known as the Barrier Between Immortal and Mortal, and Grade 4 pills were no different.
"The tournament is about to start." A sly grin spread across her face. "Time to make the other four sects compete for my services."
She emerged from the chamber and found Mu Jiansheng waiting, his posture stiff and formal. "Your pills are ready. Payment settled." She handed the carefully inspected pills over, pocketing the leftover ingredients which were valuable treasures in their own right.
"Oh, and here is an invitation to the Great Luo Tian State tournament," he said, handing her a scroll bound with a gold-threaded cord. "All the young elites will be competing for a chance at Heavenly Foundation Establishment."
"Oh?" Su Min accepted it with a smile. She had two motives for attending. The first was to study the top sects' techniques. Even if their disciples were weak now, their heritage skills would be invaluable intel for future battles.
"How soon does it start?"
"Tomorrow."
"Perfect. I will prepare," she said, her grin widening. "This is going to be fun." With a flick of her wrist, she vanished in a crackle of lightning, leaving Mu Jiansheng gaping at the residual heat still vibrating in the air.
"Such speed!" he muttered to the empty room.
The next day, Sky Summit City buzzed with a manic excitement. The triennial tournament was a major event, a spectacle that drew crowds from all corners of the state. For mortals, watching high-level cultivators fight was usually dangerous, like gods brawling while ants scurry beneath. But Qi Refining battles were perfect—flashy yet contained, thrilling without the risk of catastrophic fallout for the bystanders.
By dawn, massive crowds were surging toward the arena, a tide of humanity that clogged every thoroughfare. The guards were already overwhelmed, their voices lost in the din. And then they spotted her.
Before the first match even began, Su Min had set up a simple stall right at the main entrance. A bold banner was planted firmly beside it, its ink glowing with a faint light:
[FRONT-ROW SALES!]
-Foundation Establishment Pills
-Qi Gathering Pills
-Qi Inducing Pills
[NO CASH, NO SPIRIT STONES. ONLY TREASURES ACCEPTED!]
[Grade 4 Custom Refining Available. Inquire Within!]
The guards' faces twitched with a mix of awe and annoyance. If not for her top-tier VIP pass, the kind reserved only for sect leaders, they would have dragged her out immediately. But then they saw the pills on display, and their mouths went dry. Foundation Establishment Pills were unobtainable for most. Even their own sect's lone alchemist had only a twenty percent success rate, so only core disciples could get them. And now a stranger was selling them openly to anyone who had the price.
The crowd around her stall erupted into a frenzy.
Within minutes, she was swarmed by a sea of desperate faces. The Great Luo Tian State had thousands of times more cultivators than Wei Wu Province, and the competition for resources was cutthroat. When one rogue Foundation Establishment cultivator tried to snatch a pill from the counter, Su Min simply slapped him into the pavement. The impact cratered the stone with a dull thud, silencing the screaming crowd.
"Try stealing again. I dare you," she said. Her Golden Core aura flared for just a second, a heavy, suffocating pressure that silenced all greed in the vicinity.
But her prices still made many jaws drop. "This is daylight robbery!" one cultivator shouted from the back of the pack.
Su Min just smirked, her eyes cold. "Take it or leave it." She wasn't picky about her clientele. Rich or poor, all wallets were equal in her eyes.
Then, a breakthrough occurred. "MOVE! LET ME THROUGH!" A desperate cultivator shoved his way forward, his hands trembling as he presented a golden-glowing fruit that smelled of honey and earth.
"Golden Mystic Fragrance Fruit!" Su Min's eyes lit up as she recognized the rare material. It was one of her missing ingredients. "What do you want for it?"
"One Foundation Establishment Pill!"
"Deal. Eat it here. Otherwise, you won't live to see tomorrow."
Gratefully, the man swallowed the pill on the spot, his face turning red as the energy flooded his system. The spiritual energy surged around him as he broke through to Foundation Establishment right there in the street, causing the surrounding crowd to nearly lose their minds.
Meanwhile, in the main arena, the five sect leaders stepped onto the central stage, looking baffled. The grand opening ceremony was about to begin, but something was very wrong.
"Where is everyone?" Mu Jiansheng asked, staring out at the vast, empty stands.
Every disciple and loose cultivator seemed to have vanished, all lured away by a certain alchemist's stall at the entrance.